Glider



Sept. 17, 1946.

GLIDER 2 Sheets-Sheet l '4 Filed sepi. 4, 1942 Sept. 17, 1946. H.cfcsr-:AWUNDL-:R`

GLIDER Filed Sept. 4, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 117, 1946 ,jUNITED STATE GLIDER4 Henry C. Grawunder, Bellvlle', Tex., assignor ofone-half to YJ B. Huff, Jr., Harris County, Tex.

VApplication September 4, 1941.2,` Serial No. 457,244Y

This invention relates to a glider.- A An object of theinventionistoprovide a glider of the character described having twopairs of wings with means whereby the aviator may actuate the wings,while the glider is in motion to control the elevation of the glider asit moves through the air. The invention also embodies a novel type ofwing construction hereinafter more specifically explained.

It is afurther object of the invention to provide, in a glider, a noveltype of stabilizer and elevators under the-controlV of the aviator andwhereby the direction lof the glider either vertically or laterally willbe, to some extent at least, under the control of the aviator.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, operation andarrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side view of the complete glider.

Figure 2 shows a front, elevational view partly in section.

Figure 3 shows a plan view, and

Figure 4 shows an enlarged fragmentary crosssectional view taken on theline 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numeralsof reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeralI designates the fuselage as a whole. The fuselage is composed of anysuitable material and is of sufcient vertical width to provide room forthe aviator.

An intermediate portion of the fuselage is cut away to provide theopening 2 wherein there is located the aviator seat 3. In a preferredform of the invention, the fuselage is rounded oi vertically at theforward end and is extended and upwardly tapered at the rear end.

Securely fastened to the rear end of the fuselage there is a stabilizercomprising the xed upwardly diverging planes 4, 4 and hinged to theupper margins of these planes, one on each side, are the elevators 5, 5which, in effect, form hinged extensions of the planes 4, 4. Eachelevator has an upwardlyextended arm 6 and a downwardly extended arm 'land to the free ends of said respective arms are attached the cables 8and 9. These cables extend forwardly and are attached to the upper andlower ends respectively of the foot pedals ID, I0, which are pivotallymounted one on each side on the forward 2 Claims. (Cl. 244-16) end ofthe fuselage. These foot pedals form also foot rests for the aviator onthe seat 3 and they may be manipulated to control the elevatorsindependently of each other so that said elevators may be shifted to`assist in the elevation of or the descent of the glider or to controlits direction.

Extending out laterally from the fuselage near its front end are thesimilar wings II, II whose inner ends are hinged to the fuselage topivot on longitudinal axes. Behind-the wings II, II and located slightlybeneath them are the rear wings I2, I2,` one on each side,whose innerends are pivoted to` the fuselage on longitudinal axes. These wings arepreferably of similar construction. As illustrated each wing includes aframe consisting of a longitudinal bar I3 and a transverse outwardlyextending bar vI 4 whose inner end is secured to said bar I3. The wingsurfaces are composed of thin sections as I5 whose forward margins aresecured to the frame in any suitable manner and whose rear margins maybe free. The adjacent edges of adjoining sections are similarlyoverlapped as shown in Figures 3 and 4 sothat upon upward movement ofthe wings, said overlapping margins will separate to allow the `air topass therethrough so that the wings will offer a minimum of resistanceto the air as the wings are elevated but as the wings are moveddownwardly, said overlapping margins will be held in close contact bythe pressure of the air beneath and downward movement of the wings willhave a buoyant effect on the glider.

The front and rear wings are operated simultaneously but in oppositedirections: that is, as the front Wings are moved upwardly, therearwings are moved downwardly and vice versa.

On opposite sides of the fuselage and accessible to the aviator are thelevers I6, I6. These levers are mounted, at points intermediate theirends for universal pivotal movement of the opposite ends on thecross-head I'I. This cross-head, in turn, is mounted for universalmovement in a suitable bearing I8 in the fuselage beneath the iiyersseat. Front and rear links I9 and 20 are pivotally connected to thefront and rear ends of each lever I6 as well as to the front and rearwings as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. By rocking the levers I6 upand down, the wings may be elevated and lowered.

It will be seen that as the front wings II are elevated the rear wings I2 will be lowered and vice versa. As one set of wings is elevated, they`will oder some resistance to the air and their supporting effect will belost or reduced but this will be offset by the fact that at the sametime,

described will also have the eifect of propellingA the glider `forwardlyas they are moved up and down.

-The drawings and description are illustrative merely and disclose whatis now considered to.

be a preferred form of the invention. It is obvious, however, that themechanical details of construction may be varied without departing..

from the broad principleof the invention as defined by the appendedyclaims.

What I claim is: Y

l. A glider comprising a fuselage, similar front Wings extending outlaterally from the fuselage and pivoted thereto on longitudinal axes,rear Wings extending out laterally from the fuselage and Whose innerends are pivoted to the fuselage onrlongitudirial axes, means wherebythe wings on one side of the glider may bemoved independently ofthe'movement of-thewings on the other side of the glider, said meanscomprising levers, one on each side of the fuselage, mounted at pointsintermediate. their ends for universal pivotal movement on the fuselage,

front and rear rigid links pivotally connected to the front and rearends of the, levers lrespectively, the front links being pivoted attheir other ends'to the leading edges of the front wings and the rearlinks being ,pivoted Vat their other ends to the leading edges of therear Wings, whereby upon the rocking of a lever the corresponding wingswill be moved one upperwardly and the other, simultaneously, downwardly.

2. A glider comprising a fuselage, a seat there- Y.

in for an aviator, a pair of similar front wings .extending outlaterally from the fuselage and pivotally connected thereto to moveindependently of each other, on longitudinal axes, a pair .of rearwingsextending out laterally from the l A `fuselage and pivotally connectedthereto to move Y independently of each other, on longitudinal axes,means mounted at each side of the seat on the'k fuselage and accessibleto the aviator on the otherV side of said seat being connected to theleading margins of the other front and rear wings,l said means beingoperable independently of each other and each beingfpivotally mounted atal point intermediateitsY connections to the front and rear Wingswhereby upon.v operation of either one of said means the Wings to whichit is connectedV will be simultaneously moved in opposite directions.

" ENRY C. GRAWUiSIDER.`

